Your guide to celebrating Fourth of July in Surf City

A little girl grabs a flag from Huntington Beach council member Joe Carchio's car during last year's Surf City's 108th annual Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade drawing thousands of people along Main Street. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Closures and parking

PCH: Closed from Goldenwest Street to Beach Boulevard from 5 a.m. to about noon. PCH will be completely open to traffic no later than 2 p.m. The street will close again from 7 p.m. to about 11 p.m. for the fireworks show.

Main Street: Main Street will be closed for the parade until about noon. The first two blocks will remain closed until after the 9 p.m. fireworks show.

The pier: The pier will be partially closed all day and will close at 5 p.m. Only fireworks show ticket holders will be allowed on the pier for the show.

Parking: The city-run parking structure at Main and Second streets will charge a flat $27 rate for parking. A free shuttle will be offered from 1 to 10 p.m. from City Hall to downtown. Parking at City Hall is free. Beach parking is accessible at Beach Boulevard and opens at 5 a.m.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend on Huntington Beach today to enjoy the sun, surf and fireworks.

Fourth of July in Surf City is always jam-packed with activities and things to see, including an early 5K run to start the day, the 109th edition of the annual award-winning parade, and an impressive fireworks show on the pier.

The parade is estimated to draw more than 100,000 people and features more than 100 groups, celebrities and performers making their way down Main Street.

It's billed as the largest Independence Day parade west of the Mississippi and the longest-running parade in the area. Last year it was named the best parade or festival in Orange County by readers of the Orange County Register.

When the parade ends, the entertainment continues and will carry on through the weekend in a four-day festival at Pier Plaza featuring bands, vendors and food.

Take a look to learn all you need to know about celebrating Independence Day in Surf City this year.

ADD GRAND MARSHAL JOB TO LONG LIST OF SERVICE

As the son of German immigrants, California native Ralph Bauer long has been dedicated to improving the lives of others.

Today, at 83, the list of posts Bauer has held in Huntington Beach is a long one. He has been a member of two school boards, the City Council, was mayor in 1997 and co-founded the Human Relations Task Force, which promotes diversity. The effort and work he has put into improving the city have led him to be named the community grand marshal of this year's Huntington Beach 4th of July Celebration.

"He's been such a supporter of the whole community of Huntington Beach for so long," said Huntington Beach 4th of July Executive Board member Linda D. Couey.

"He's been involved in a lot of different causes and groups, and that's why everybody loves him."

Couey said in voting on this year's community grand marshal, the board was "pretty much unanimous" in its decision.

Bauer said his desire to serve the community is born of an appreciation for Huntington Beach, the state of California and the rest of the country. He sees his life as an example of what a child of immigrants can accomplish in the U.S., acknowledging that his parents were not wealthy when they immigrated in 1929. Still, he said he realizes that many minority immigrants today face more challenges than he did. His life in town has been spent trying to lessen difficulties for others, an urge he attributes to his time serving in the Korean War.

"Young Americans died in that war, and they never came home to see their moms, their dads, their girlfriends," Bauer said. "But I came home. So I felt an obligation, because they couldn't do anything, that maybe I should be doing something for the community."

One of his proudest moments on the City Council was co-authoring "A Declaration of Policy About Human Dignity," which he wrote in the wake of hate crimes in Huntington Beach in the mid-1990s.

Bauer went to high school in Los Angeles before attending UCLA and earning a degree in chemistry and later a doctorate in the same subject.

His role as community grand marshal comes just over a week after his 61st wedding anniversary to his wife, Charlene. As for his duties in the parade, Bauer laughed and said he is "just going to ride around and look pretty." He prides himself on his accomplishments in a town he has called home for nearly 50 years, also having served as a charter member of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust and a half-dozen other city committees and commissions.

Going forward, Bauer said he is interested in ensuring that more of Huntington Beach's Latino population has the opportunity to attend college. He is a self-described cheerleader for the El Viento educational program, which aims to enrich the lives of students in the Oak View neighborhood. He said he aims to solve problems proactively instead of reactively, giving an example of forming a youth soccer league to combat high crime rates.

"I want people to be vigilant, active and supportive," he said.

"This city is like living in paradise for me. And the more people do that, the better off we'll all be."

A little girl grabs a flag from Huntington Beach council member Joe Carchio's car during last year's Surf City's 108th annual Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade drawing thousands of people along Main Street. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Patriotic stilt walker Evan Strand, grabs four-year-old Eyan Meins from the crowd as he walks the Huntington Beach parade route in 2012. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A bike rider cruises Main Street in Huntington Beach with his canine companions before the 2012 Fourth of July Parade. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Captain America cruises Main Street in Huntington Beach as the 2012 Fourth of July parade gets ready to roll. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wendy Hamu, 43, of Huntington Beach sticks flag decals on her front window Sunday . Homes along the parade route are festooned in red, white and blue for the nation's birthday. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The Fourth of July parade will pass down Main Street in Huntington Beach, which has inspired homeowners to decorate elaborately for the holiday over the years. PHOTOS: MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Luke Adelman, 11, hangs beads on the tree in front of his family's home . MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Homes along Main Street were covered in flags, stars, and other red, white and blue decor in preparation for the 4th of July parade, which will travel along Main Street on Thursday. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Luke Adelman, 11, of Huntington Beach pins a shiny blue star to the side of his house on Main Street in preparation for the 4th of July parade and festivities. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fabrizio Ficarra plays with his Beagle, Ninja, as Cherish Hui and their Chihuahua mix, Maxi, watch during the 2012 Independence Day celebration. Ficarra and Hui came all the way from Santa Monica to enjoy the holiday celebration at their favorite dog beach. ANA P. GUTIERREZ, FOR THE REGISTER
Boy Scouts with the Pacific District carry a giant flag at last year's 108th annual Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Natasha Teiman of Costa Mesa, watches the 2012 Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade with her American Girl doll, Kit. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Abraham Lincoln appears to be alive and well during last year's Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Actress Nicole Eggert. ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ, GETTY IMAGES
Actor Karan Brar. VALERIE MACON, GETTY IMAGES
Actor Lou Ferrigno. NOEL VASQUEZ, GETTY IMAGES
Longtime Huntington Beach residents Ralph and Charlene Bauer stroll through their neighborhood. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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